Razor-stropping machine.



A. E. ELLIS.

RAZOR STROPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14,1913.

Patented Dec. 8,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THI NORRIS PETERS CO.,. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. U

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ALBIIT E. ELLIS, 0F MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

RAZOB-STROPPING MACHINE.

Application filed January 1 1, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALniN E. ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Razor- Stropping Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in razor stropping machines and has particular application to a machine of the class described which may be readily and conveniently operated by hand.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a razor stropping machine wherein the pressure of the razor blade on the strop may be readily and easily varied or regulated so that the edge of the blade will be acted upon by the stropping element in an efficient and positive manner thereby facilitating the stropping operation.

It is also my purpose to provide a 'azor stropping machine which will embody among other features a stationary supporting frame and a second frame connected to the stationary frame and movable relatively thereto and carrying the stropping mechanism, means being provided whereby in the movement of the movable frame the pressure of the razor blade on the stropping element will be automatically varied, thus enabling the blade to be acted upon positively by the stropper.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a machine of the type set forth which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency, durability and convenience coupled with cheapness of cost in manufacture and marketing and which may be readily installed, maintained and operated.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts here inafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-f of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Serial No. 742,078.

7 is a like view on the line 77 of Fig. 1. F 1g. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the machine, showing a modified form of clutch mechanism; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine, illustrating the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of the inventiomparts being shown in elevation.

Referring now to the accompanyingdrawings in detail, the numeral 1 indicates a stationary supporting frame constructed of any suitable material and having the marginal edges thereof bent at right angles to the main body portion as at 2 and thence extended outwardly as at 3 to form fastening flanges whereby the supporting frame may be rigidly secured to a suitable or convenient support as l indicates the movable frame which, in the present instance, is suspended from the stationary frame and composed of vertical end pieces 5, 5 formed with inwardly extending shelf-like projections 6 designed to receive and support a horizontally disposed bearing strip 7, while the upper edges of the end pieces are equipped with upwardly extending lugs 8, 8 slidably disposed within slots 9 formed in the main body portion of the stationary frame 1.

A shaft 10 has the opposite ends thereof suitably fastened to the end pieces 5, 5 of the movable frame and has loosely mounted thereon a roller 11 covered with leather or other suitable material 12 and provided at its opposite ends with outwardly extending collars 13, 1 1 disposed concentrically of the shaft. A. second shaft 15 has the opposite ends thereof journaled in suitable bearings carried by the end pieces 5, 5 and is adapted for rotary movement, the last-mentioned shaft being disposed above the shaft 10 and the roller thereon. The shaft 15 is adapted to carry a razor lade and for this purpose is equipped with a blade holder composed, in the present instance, of a block 16 having a groove 17 formed therein of a configuration corresponding to the contour of the shaft 15, and plates 1.8, 18 disposed at the opposite sides of the block and secured thereto through the medium of suitable fastening devices 19, the portions of the plates 18, 18 contiguous to the groove 17 in the block forming with the groove a partially circular bore and embracing the shaft 15 whereby the blade holder is rigidly secured to the shaft, while the portions of the plates at the opposite side of the block form a clamp for the razor blade 6.

In order that motion may be transmitted to the shaft 15 in the movement of the roller 11, a pinion 20 is fined to the shaft 15 in any suitable manner adjacent to one of the end pieces 5 and meshes with a pinion 21 journaled upon a stub siiaf't 22 carried by the respective end piece, the pinion 21 meshing with a gear wheel 23 loosely surrounding the shaft 10 and provided with an outwardly extending split annular flange 24: surrounding the adjacent end of the collar 13 and adapted to be clamped thereto by means of a band 25 surrounding the flange and having the opposite ends thereof outturned and provided with apertures designed to receive a set screw 26 by means of which the band may be tightened so that the flange will be drawn together to fric tionally contact with the adjacent part of the collar 15, a leather band or the like 27 being interposed between the adjacent faces of the flange and collar. In the stropping operation, a flexible strop 28 of any usual or ordinary construction is'passed over the roller 11 and the opposite ends thereof grasped by the hands of an operator so that the roller may be rotated alternately in relatively reverse directions. Thus, it will be seen that when the flexible strop 28 is manipulated to operate the roller 11, motion will be transmitted to the shaft 15 through the medium of the gear 23 and pinions 21 and 20, thereby throwing the razor blade from one side to the other so that the edge thereof will be effectively sharpened, while by means of the collar 24: and the adjacent portion of the hub 13, the roller 12 may slip on the shaft as the roller continues to rotate in one direction or the other, ubsequent to the respective side of the blade edge engaging the roller, thereby maintaining the frictional contact between the razor and the stropping element during the rotation of the latter.

In accordance with my present invention,

means is provided whereby the action of the slip clutch formed by the parts 23, 2e, 25, 2G and 2'? may be augmented so that the razor may be effectively sharpened. In the present instance, this means consists of a disk 29 loosely surrounding the shaft 10 adjacent to the gear 23 and adapted to be contacted by the rollers 30, 30 carried by the yoke arm 31 of a bell crank lever pivoted as at 32 within an opening formed in adjacent end piece 5 and having the arm 33 thereof pivotally connected to anelliptical yoke 31- having a shank 35 extending through an opening formed in the stationary frame 1 and terminating in a threaded extremity equipped with a thumb nut 36, an

expansion spring 37 being coiled about the shank 35 between the thumb nut thereon and the adjacent portion of the frame 1. From this construction, it will be seen that when a pull is exerted upon the flexible strop 28 to rotate the roller in reverse directions and throw the blade holder from one side to the other so that the blade edge will be sharpened, the movable frame will be drawn downwardly against the action of the spring 37, thereby swinging the bell crank lever about its pivot to engage the disk 29 with the adjacent face of the gear 23 thereby increasing the frictional contact between the end of the hub or collar 13 and the confronting face of the gear wheel 23 so that the pressure of the blade on the strop will be increased. Suitable adjusting screws 37 are carried by the stationary frame 1 and are adapted to be contacted by the-bearing strip 7 so as to limit the return of the movable frame to normal position.

In some instances. it may be found de sirable to eliminate the flexible strop 2S and to strop the razor blade on the leather covering 12 of the roller 11. To accomplish this result a shaft 38 is journaled in the end pieces 5 adjacent .to the lower ends thereof and equipped with a pulley 39 and has keyed thereon a gear %0 meshing with a pinion 41 on a shaft 42 also journaled in the and pieces 5, 5 of the movable frame above the shaft 38, the pinion ll meshing with the gear 43 fixed to and surrounding the collar 11f. When my razor stropping machine is used in this manner, the clutch band 25 may be loosened so as to permit the flange 24 to expand and thereby disconnect the gear 23 from the collar 13. Links 44: each has one end pivoted to the outer extremity of the collar 14 and the free end equipped with a friction shoe d5 disposed within a pulley ring d6 and designed to be actuated into contact with the inner wall 0f the pulley ringthrough the medium of links 17 and a collar 18 connected to such links 47 and engaged by the limbs of a yoke 19 constituting one arm of a bell crank lever 50 pivoted at its bight within anopening in the adjacent end piece 5, the opposite arm of the bell crank lever being pivotally connected to one end of a rod 51 extending through an opening in the stationary frame 1 and having the upper extremity thereof screwthreaded to receive a thumb nut 52 a coiled expansion-spring 53 encircling the rod 51 between the thumb nut and the adjacent part of the stationary frame.

It will be noted that the yoke 34 and rod 51 coiiperate to support the movable frame and the stationary frame. Suitably fixed to the shaft 15 above the pulley ring 46 is a pulley 5 1 and over the last named pulley and the pulley ring is trained an endless belt 55. By means of this construction,' it

will be seen that when the shaft 38 is actu ated, motion will be transmitted to the roller 11 through the medium of the gear 40, pinion -11 and gear to. A suitable strap being passed over the pulley 3t) and actuated in a manner to rotate the stropping roller alternately in reverse directions. lihen the strap on the pulley is pulled, the movable frame moves downwardly thereby swinging the bell crank lever about its pivot and expanding the shoes 15 against the inner surface of the belt pulley ring 4:6 whereby the latter is clutched up to the collar l-i to rotate with the stropping roller, the pulley ring imparting movement to the shaft 15 of the blade holder through the medium of the belt and pulley 54;. Thus, it will be seen that one or the other edge of the razor blade will engage the stropping roller under pressure according to the direction of rotation of such roller, while as the roller continues to rotate in one direction or the other, subsequent to the particular side of the blade edge engaging the roller, the shoes 4-5 will slip within the pulley 16 and so maintain the razor blade under pressure during the sharpening operation. Passed through an opening in the stationary frame 1 is a threaded shank 56, the lower end of which is pivoted to one end of each of a pair of bowed levers 57 having the opposite ends thereof converging inwardly to ard one another and equipped with rollers adapted to bear upon the opp0- site portions of the belt 55, the rollers 58,

being carried by brackets 59, 59 respectively secured to the under surface of the hearing strips 57. 11s the frame at moves downwardly, the rollers 58, 58 contact with the adjacent portions of the bowed levers 57, 57 and consequently force the lower ends of such levers inwardly toward each other, thereby putting pressure upon the belt 55 and so increasing the pressure of the razor blade upon the roller. A thumb nut 60 is threaded on the shank 53, while a coiled eX- pansion spring 61 surrounds the shank and has one end bearing against the thumb nut and the opposite end abutting the adjacent portion of the stationary frame. Suitably secured to the movable frame l and extending through alining openings in the stationary frame 1 are pins 62, 62 having ,pivotally connected to their lower ends depending arms (33, the latter carrying friction rollers 64;, 64: disposed at the opposite sides of the roller 11. Collars 65 surround the pins 62 and are normally forced downwardly by means of springs 66 so as to hold the friction rollers 64:, 642 in contact with the flexible strop so that the latter will be held in snug engagement with the roller whereby the roller will be positively actuated and slipping between the strop and roller avoided.

In some instances, it may be found desirable to employ a form of regulating device simpler in construction than either of the two similar devices previously (:lescribed. To meet such a contingency, .l mount upon the collar or hub 1 a radially extending arm 66 capable of swinging movement about such collar and having journaled on the outer end thereof a friction disk (37 frictionally engaging a similar disk (38 suitably fixed upon the shaft 15 of the razor blade holder, one face of the friction disk 7 having a gear wheel (59 fastened thereto in some suitable manner and meshing with the gear :13 upon the respective end of the collar 11. Passed through alining openings in the bearing strips 7 and the base portion of the stationary frame 1 is a rod '70 having the upper end thereof screwthreaded to receive a thumb nut 71 and the lower end thereof bifurcated and pivoially receiving the upper end of an angle arm 72, the lower end of such arm being pivotally connected to the lower extremity of the arm 66 as at 73. En circling the rod 70 between the confronting face of the thumb nut 71 and the base portion of the stationary friune l is a coiled expansion spring 74. By means of this construction, it will be seen that as the movable frame is moved downwardly during the stropping operation, the arm (36 will be swung about the collar 14 incident to the connection between such arm and the rod 70 whereby the friction disk (57 and the gear wheel (39 will move about the axis of the shaft of the roller 11 planet fashion until the friction disk 67 engages the similar disk (38. Thus, an oscillatory or rocking motion will be imparted to the shaft 15 to swing the razor blade from one side to the other of the axis of such shaft, the friction disk permitting the stropping element to slip and so hold the edge of the razor blade in frictional engagement with the roller, as the roller continues to rotate in one direction or the other, as will be readily apparent.

It will be seen that the slip clutch formed by the parts 23, 24:, 25, 26 and 27, and the slip clutch composed of the parts 44, 45, 46, 4:7 and l8 cooperate with each other in the operation of the machine to drive the shaft 15 from both ends of the shaft 10 thereby distributing the strain evenly over the shaft 15 and eliminating the tendency of the shaft to twist.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent.

It will be seen that I have provided a razor stropping machine wherein a positive contact is brought about between the razor blade and the stropper in the operation of the machine.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by Way of illustration, I Wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made Within the scope of the claims and Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a razor stropping machine, a stationary frame, a movable frame, a shaft carried by said movable frame, a roller loose upon said shaft, a second shaft ournaled in said movable frame parallel With said first shaft, a razor blade holder carried by said last shaft, driving connections between said roller and said second shaft, said connections including a slip clutch whereby the razor blade will be held in frictional engagement With the strop in the movement of the roller, and tension means operable in the movement of the movable frame and acting upon said clutch to augment the action of the latter to increase the frictional contact between the razor blade and the strop.

In a razor stropping machine, a stationary frame, a movable frame, a shaft carried by said movable frame, a roller loose upon said shaft, a second shaft journaled in said movable frame parallel with said first shaft, a razor blade holder detachably connected to said last shaft, driving connections between said roller and said last shaft, said connections including a slip clutch whereby the razor blade Will frictionally engage the strop in the operation of the roller, and tension means supporting said movable frame and operable in the movement thereof to augment the action of said clutch to vary the frictional contactbetween the razor blade and the strop.

in testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALBIN E. ELLIS.

lVitnesses:

Ami, H. Korninn, Josnrn ULLMANN. s

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

